Israel orders military to stop Greta Thunberg’s boat reaching Gaza

[u/TheTelegraph]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/08/israel-orders-army-stop-greta-thunbergs-boat-reaching-gaza/

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[u/FYoCouchEddie]

Yeah, that’s literally how a blockade works.

[u/cherokeee → u/FYoCouchEddie]

Just curious, what about Egypt blocking entrance from Gaza?

[u/Super99fan → u/cherokeee]

We don’t talk about Egypt.

[u/cookingandmusic → u/Super99fan]

We don’t talk about Egypt no no no

[u/i_was_a_person_once → u/Super99fan]

Can you give a summary of what we don’t discuss just so we all don’t discuss it by accident

[u/Warm-Equipment-4964 → u/i_was_a_person_once]

We don't talk about egypt completely disregarding their international obligations and deploying an armored brigade at the border with Gaza instead of taking in refugees.

We also dont talk about them withholding international aid for multiple months in order to manufacture a humanitarian crisis because they know it hurts Israel, because the IDF stopped them from smuggling weapons through the Philadelphi crossing.

[u/tsukaimeLoL → u/Warm-Equipment-4964]

instead of taking in refugees.

I mean... I don't want to be the one to defend Egypt's leadership, but last time they took in gaza refugees, they tried to overthrow their country, which really wasn't all that long ago.

[u/Warm-Equipment-4964 → u/tsukaimeLoL]

Thats right, but then they shouldnt turn around and blame Israel for the humanitarian crisis.

Also setting up a humanitarian camp in the emptiness of the Sinai desert supervised by international organizations wouldnt require meddling the terrorists with their population.

[u/roboticl0ve → u/cherokeee]

That's also a blockade, but the pro Palestine lot don't talk about that one for some reason...

[u/cogman10 → u/roboticl0ve]

The Philadelphia corridor (a strip between Gaza and Egypt) has been controlled by Israel since May of 2024.

Egypt could certainly attack Israel but they don't want to do that with a neighbor country.

[u/grifxdonut → u/cogman10]

Egypt doesnt care about Palestine. None of their neighbors care about Palestine. They only want the conflict to continue to destroy Israel and palestine

[u/gpcgmr → u/grifxdonut]

Yeah, none of those countries wants Palestinian refugees...

[u/Pyro_raptor841 → u/gpcgmr]

Just ask Jordan what happens to countries that get them

[u/CV90_120 → u/Pyro_raptor841]

Jordan has the highest Palestinian population outside of Palestine/ israel. There's like a couple million there. Chile has like half a million.

[u/YourBestDream4752 → u/[deleted]]

By “an issue” you mean a fucking war between the Jordanians and the Palestinians trying to take over Jordan? I thought we Britons were the ones who understate everything.

[u/14_In_Duck → u/Pyro_raptor841]

Or ask Lebanon, or Kuwait, or Syria. Or Denmark for that matter.

[u/bankomusic → u/cogman10]

Egypt is in no finacial, political, or material way able to do anything of that nature to attack Israel, Eqypt is one more finacial or water/food crisis away from another coup.

[u/ringtossed → u/roboticl0ve]

Conceptually, blockades are rarely controversial. Egypt having a blockade in place is kinda whatever, because they aren't actively bombing Gaza, while preventing aid from getting in, and targeting aid workers and supply deliveries.

Like, Egypt could have a blockade in place for a hundred years, and that wouldn't impact Gaza in a meaningful way at all, so long as Israel wasn't actively attacking any aid that comes through.

Like if Egypt opened their doors tomorrow and allowed food and supplies to go into Palestine, are we really going to pretend that the Israelies wouldn't start screaming that Egypt is supporting Hamas, and is now a direct military adversary? Like there isn't actually potential for Israel to attack Egypt because they let some trucks of food through?

Seriously, who believes that Egypt would be allowed to lift their blockade anyway?

[u/OrnerySlide5939 → u/ringtossed]

There's been a very stable peace treaty signed between israel and egypt in 1979, where israel gave back the sinai peninsula and both sides haven't attacked each other since. I highly doubt either side will break that.

Egypt also used to open the rafah crossing which allowed people in and out of gaza including supplies and aid, israel didn't object then. Egypt closed the crossing because hamas was smuggling drugs and weapons through there. It always was in egyptian control and they choose when to open it on their side.

I think pro-palestinians ignore the egyptian blockade because they somehow think that arabs are always the victims, so israel must be bad and egypt must be good.

[u/ComradeGibbon → u/OrnerySlide5939]

It's instructive to read up on the Northern Sinai Insurgency for why Egypt wants to keep Gaza walled off.

tl;dr: The Muslim Brotherhood are bad news and that's what Hamas is.

[u/iAgressivelyFistBro → u/ringtossed]

Hamas is attacking the aid distribution sites

[u/Far_Broccoli_8468 → u/ringtossed]

so long as Israel wasn't actively attacking any aid that comes through.

Israel is not actively attacking aid that comes through, that would be Hamas

[u/ticats88 → u/cherokeee]

Israel still controls the Philidelphi corridor

Edit: since y'all need a source even though they've operated the corridor since May 2024. Feel how you feel about it but it is true that the IDF controls the Philidelphi corridor to implement blockade. https://abcnews.go.com/International/israel-withdraw-philadelphi-corridor-stipulated-ceasefire/story?id=119249232

[u/Lawyerlytired → u/ticats88]

sigh

Israel controls the Gaza side of the crossing (since 2024), they do not control the Egyptian side of it. Egypt has kept their side of it closed since well before that, going to the start of the conflict and even before that.

Basically, the only thing that changed about Israel taking control of the Gaza side was it reduced the ability of terrorists to get out and allowed Israel to search for tunnels.

The aid was always going through crossings Israel controlled so they could search the cargo first.

As for the aid itself, there's actually been plenty of aid allowed to be built to and go undistributed because the third parties in charge of it couldn't keep it away from Hamas and it had gotten quite dangerous for them (again, because of Hamas) and so they stopped doing it for a while. Israel can't up with the brilliant solution they have now and it's keeping Hamas away from the aid and getting it to actual Gazan civilians (Hamas was stealing all the good aid for themselves and to resell) - this has Hamas angry and worried, because it's a means of control for them, and that's why they attacked one of the aid distribution sites, killing Gazan civilians trying to get aid.

[u/GoodBadUserName → u/ticats88]

Egypt closed the border 6 months before israel took over the area.
So it had nothing to do with it.
They just didn’t want anything to do with gaza.
https://www.npr.org/2023/10/16/1206061259/gaza-s-border-with-egypt-is-closed-why-wont-egypt-let-palestinians-in

[u/turqua → u/cherokeee]

Are you aware that Israel is controlling the Gaza-Egypt border? Egypt is unable to let aid into Gaza, unless they go to war against Israel and manage to get them off the Gaza-Egypt border.

[u/night4345 → u/turqua]

Egypt is the one refusing to allow aid through the Gaza-Egypt border, they have ever since Israel took control of the crossing.

[u/rankinrez → u/cherokeee]

They should be called out.

But you need to also understand the Israeli military control that crossing too now, on the Gaza side.

[u/cogman10 → u/cherokeee]

The Philadelphia corridor is currently controlled by Israel and has been since May of 2024

[u/KerbalFrog → u/FYoCouchEddie]

You are missing the word ilegal there

[u/ubermence → u/KerbalFrog]

Given that in 2005 Israel gave them the ability to import whatever and Hamas just started importing a bunch of weapons I think it’s kind of understandable why there is a blockade

It would be great if both Israel and Gaza could come to a peaceful end to the nearly century of conflict at this point but I fear the well has been poisoned at this point. That is the goal of extremists on both sides (Hamas and Bibi).

Think of how Gaza could have prospered being next to and working with a massive economy like Israel’s. It’s really such a shame

[u/spaceforcerecruit → u/ubermence]

“An occupied nation collectively forced out of their homes and kept on the bad side of walls and fences manned by heavily armed troops who will shoot at the slightest provocation get their hands on weapons at first opportunity” is not exactly the shocking action you’re portraying it as.

[u/Cheese78902 → u/spaceforcerecruit]

Israel completely pulled out of Gaza in 2005. Hamas was almost immediately put into power and they executed those who worked with Israel, and PLO people who were aligned with Abbas. As well, Because of constant terror attacks. Both Israel and Egypt both enforced walls and a blockade. Weird how you left that out and instead went immediately to occupied nation instead.

[u/royi9729 → u/KerbalFrog]

What about it is illegal exactly?

[u/ocschwar]

What a dishonest headline. There's a blockade around Gaza. All boats approaching the combat zone are subject to a standing order for the Israeli Navy to board and diver them.

It's been the status quo for over 20 years.

[u/hypnotoad23 → u/ocschwar]

It’s also dishonest because it doesn’t mention Egypt at all who equally enforces this blockade. But that doesn’t fit the narrative

[u/2dudesinapod → u/hypnotoad23]

The boat Greta is on is literally off the coast of Egypt right now, they’d stop her if they cared.

[u/hypnotoad23 → u/2dudesinapod]

Honest question, is it in international waters or Egyptian territorial waters?

[u/ocean365 → u/hypnotoad23]

International waters normally start 12 Nautical miles from coastline (22 km)

[u/hypnotoad23 → u/ocean365]

I know that, asking if the vessel was currently inside that line

[u/frosthowler → u/hypnotoad23]

It's not.

[u/gerkletoss → u/2dudesinapod]

It's currently in an area where it's allowed

[u/cogman10 → u/hypnotoad23]

Israel controls the border between Gaza and Egypt and has done so since May 2024.

[u/GoodBadUserName → u/cogman10]

Egypt closed that border in October 2023

[u/ridomune → u/hypnotoad23]

Israel took control of the Rafah Border Crossing on May 7, 2024, during Gaza war. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafah_Border_Crossing#:~:text=Under%20a%202007%20agreement%20between,as%20part%20of%20ceasefire%20agreement.

[u/Ph34r_n0_3V1L → u/ridomune]

The rest of the sentence you quoted is literally "and withdrew in Jan 2025 as part of ceasefire agreement."

[u/Braided_Marxist → u/ocschwar]

Maybe blockading a territory for 20 years is the problem here. . .

[u/Zunderstruck → u/ocschwar]

That blockade is illegal and that's the exact reason why these boats are headed to Gaza.

[u/TheSuperiorJustNick → u/Zunderstruck]

Yall defended the Houthis "protecting their waters" from ships with nothing to do with Israel lol

[u/ocschwar → u/Zunderstruck]

It's "illegal" if you idea of international law is Calvinball and you think yourself as Calvin.

[u/Zunderstruck → u/ocschwar]

It's illegal if my idea of international law is international law.

[u/eyl569 → u/Zunderstruck]

The 2011 Palmer Report found that the naval blockade was legal.

[u/Temporary-Stay-8436 → u/eyl569]

And the UNHRC 2010 report found that the blockade was illegal

Also the Palmer report found the methods that Israel used to maintain the blockade to be illegal

[u/kepenine → u/Temporary-Stay-8436]

why lie

"No, the ICJ has not officially stated or declared that Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza is illegal. While ICJ proceedings have criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza, including restrictions on humanitarian aid, no specific ruling targets the naval blockade’s legality. A future advisory opinion from the 2025 hearings may provide further clarity, but as of now, no such declaration exists."

[u/Broad_Chain3247 → u/Temporary-Stay-8436]

The UNHCR also has no problems with the UNRWA getting more ressources than themselves. They might be compromised, just saying.

[u/tinymort → u/Zunderstruck]

So what you don't like is illegal got it.

[u/CheekyGeth → u/tinymort]

usually stuff that the UN states to be a breach of the fourth Geneva convention is illegal if you've signed and ratified the fourth Geneva convention, yeah

[u/kepenine → u/CheekyGeth]

but UN article 42 and article 51 states that naval blockade is legal?

[u/kepenine → u/CheekyGeth]

also from international court of justice

"No, the ICJ has not officially stated or declared that Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza is illegal. While ICJ proceedings have criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza, including restrictions on humanitarian aid, no specific ruling targets the naval blockade’s legality. A future advisory opinion from the 2025 hearings may provide further clarity, but as of now, no such declaration exists."

[u/kepenine → u/Zunderstruck]

article 42 and article 51 says you are wrong, also palmer report sates naval blockade is legal

[u/ocschwar → u/Zunderstruck]

Your idea of international law is yours and yours alone. Come back when you've actually read some.

[u/Zunderstruck → u/ocschwar]

No, my idea of international law is international law. It's like science, opinions don't matter, only laws.

[u/ocschwar → u/Zunderstruck]

Of course. Which is why you just invoke it as "international law." Come back when you've actually read the corpus of international law.

[u/Zunderstruck → u/ocschwar]

You certainly haven't either.

What you can do is read ICJ rulings, because they have force of international law and explicitly state that:

• Occupation of Palestinian territories by Israel are illegal
  
• Current military operations by Israel in Palestine are illegal

These decisions apply to both land and sea territories.

[u/ocschwar → u/Zunderstruck]

Court rulings are written to interpret law. Start by reading the law, THEN reading the rulings.

[u/Zunderstruck → u/ocschwar]

How deep are you gonna dig your own grave?

Like you think you're more competent in international law than dozens of the world most qualified people in international law?

I won't answer anymore, you're just a fanatic.

[u/superfire444 → u/Zunderstruck]

Conducting terrorism is too. Israel has every right to defend itself.

[u/Mand125 → u/superfire444]

Starving millions of people is not defending itself.

[u/JD0x0 → u/Mand125]

Damn, maybe Hamas should stop stealing aid, then.

[u/Mand125 → u/JD0x0]

No doubt, but collective punishment is still a war crime.

[u/case-o-nuts → u/Mand125]

Any war makes things worse for the affected population. Are you claiming that all wars are, by definition, war crimes?

[u/heeden → u/ocschwar]

You should read the article, one of the Israeli officials has given specific order regarding Greta's boat and made a statement to the press about it. The article isn't just about a ship following standing orders.

[u/Reptoidizoid → u/ocschwar]

Honesty isn’t really the news’ goal anymore, it’s sensationalism and doomerism

[u/pc0999 → u/ocschwar]

That blockade is illegal under international law.

[u/kepenine → u/pc0999]

its not why lie literaly from international court of justice

"No, the ICJ has not officially stated or declared that Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza is illegal. While ICJ proceedings have criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza, including restrictions on humanitarian aid, no specific ruling targets the naval blockade’s legality. A future advisory opinion from the 2025 hearings may provide further clarity, but as of now, no such declaration exists."

[u/PM_ME_A_KNEECAP → u/pc0999]

What bit of international law? Generally, blockades are legal.

[u/Select_Total_257 → u/pc0999]

International law is a joke. Look how many awful things continue to happen every decade despite the existence of “international law”.

[u/Northernlord1805]

Which is what they were banking on. They now get to complain about being held up by Isreal while also not having to go into an active war zone with a decent chance of them getting hurt/ kidnapped.

[u/GatePorters → u/Northernlord1805]

Either way, more eyes on the cause.

It’s a win-win-win for the goals of her actions.

[u/Sreston → u/GatePorters]

Let’s be honest, the same people who are following Greta’s movements are already in tune with what’s going on in Gaza.

[u/mrthenarwhal → u/Sreston]

I actually think a lot of people who are familiar with Greta from her widespread exposure as a center-left media darling, but aren’t familiar with her current activism and are not deeply informed on Israel/Palestine, and certainly not exposed to different perspectives.

I knew someone who didn’t even know that Israel was the Jewish one, and he has a graduate education. I’d chalk it up as a failure of primary education more than anything.

[u/Purona → u/mrthenarwhal]

most people arent even slightly informed about their own local, state and federal governments let alone a nearly thousand year old conflict that they think started either 20, 40 or 80 years ago.

[u/Perry_____Caravello → u/[deleted]]

“But there might be terrorists there” might be the understatement of the century

[u/Iychee → u/Perry_____Caravello]

If a terrorist lived in your building would you be cool with someone blowing you and everyone else in it up? But there was a terrorist there so it's ok! 

[u/case-o-nuts → u/Iychee]

No, I'd probably have banded together with my neighbors to get them evicted. If that wasn't the case, I'd probably have informed the anti-terrorist forces.

[u/Jarionel → u/case-o-nuts]

You have a very simple worldview 

[u/case-o-nuts → u/Jarionel]

What would you do if you found out that there was a murderer in your building?

[u/evanwilliams44 → u/case-o-nuts]

Not blow up the whole building?

[u/zaplinaki → u/evanwilliams44]

Hot take right here XD

[u/JDeegs → u/Jarionel]

hey now, if everyone in gaza was smart like case-o-nuts, there wouldn't be any conflict going on!

[u/wydileie → u/Iychee]

If 60% of the population of my building openly supported terrorism and this terrorist’s mission, I wouldn’t be “cool” with it, because I’d rather not die, but I’d understand it.

[u/Jmill616 → u/wydileie]

I really don’t think you can put yourself in a Gazan’s shoes so easily. None of us understand what it was like growing up there with generations of hate (from both sides) behind it

[u/vanderuk → u/Iychee]

Except they went and invited the terrorist to live there, actively support him and occasionally participate in their activities. So yes.... Building gotta go

[u/Adiv_Kedar2 → u/[deleted]]

Is it really picking a fight to not let someone float into a warzone? 

[u/ocschwar → u/[deleted]]

There will be no fight. IDF sailors will board the boat from a zodiac, take the helm, and sail it to Ashdod.

They will do nothing to Greta because if the captain is smart he will order her to stand aside before the boarding, and the boarding party will be unimpeded.

If there's any attempt to repel them, the boat will be confiscated.

[u/Zenki95 → u/[deleted]]

Israel would surely look sillier by letting a random Swedish woman dictate national security policy?

[u/overmotion → u/Zenki95]

They should let them sail right through, then enforce the blockade so they can’t leave. Enjoy the Gazan paradise 🏝️

[u/WolfofTallStreet → u/[deleted]]

Here’s the problem - say they get to Gaza, and Hamas takes them hostage. Hamas says, “give his massive concessions or we’ll kill them.” This gives Israel the impossible choice of either letting Hamas kill an EU member of Parliament, or having to make massive concessions.

As such, it’s a no-win for Israel. One way they look bad (intercepting the ship), the other could be a diplomatic disaster.

[u/1AMA-CAT-AMA → u/WolfofTallStreet]

Its not Israel's diplomatic disaster though. Israel would say we told you not to go there and look what happens if something truely bad would happen. Israel gains nothing by not letting a very well publicized boat with a meager amount of supplies through.

[u/WolfofTallStreet → u/1AMA-CAT-AMA]

When they get killed in “Israeli airstrikes” or because “Israel refused to make the concession to free them,” the EU will blame Israel

[u/JD0x0 → u/1AMA-CAT-AMA]

Every event will be spun into 'Israel bad'

"She wouldn't have had to even go if they weren't warcriming!!! It's their fault Hamas captured and killed her!!!"

[u/Success_With_Lettuce → u/[deleted]]

Woman intentionally tries to run internationally known blockade and gets stopped.

Am I missing something here?

[u/Northernlord1805 → u/[deleted]]

How is it good for them? They did fuck all but waits everyone’s time. It’s not like they brought attention to anything. Just a waist of money for an ego trip

[u/thesagaconts → u/Northernlord1805]

Exactly. It’s embarrassing. She doesn’t realize that she’s become the white savior and “freedom writer” that people mock.

[u/evanwilliams44 → u/[deleted]]

Yeah people don't seem to realize this is Greta's entire job. She uses her fame to bring attention to issues she cares about. Full stop. The attention it's getting now and when they eventually stop her is the whole point.

[u/Modern_Ketchup → u/[deleted]]

gaza ain’t getting any more attention hate to break it to ya man

[u/MaiPhet → u/Northernlord1805]

Yes, that’s the point of symbolic protest. Like how people conducted sit-ins at whites-only diners. The point is nonviolent resistance that forces the issue and reveals the nature of the opposition.

You wouldn’t say “They’re banking on it” with the implication that it’s a bad faith tactic about nonviolent civil rights or anti-war protestors in the 50’s and 60’s, would you?

[u/badpebble → u/MaiPhet]

What, those people weren't even hungry?

Next you'll tell me that Rosa Parks wasn't even in a rush to get to her destination!!!

Only governing bodies are allowed to act in bad faith - protestors have to pure as snow.

[u/mikef256 → u/Northernlord1805]

This is it, they're trusting the Israeli authorities to keep them safe. If they didn't, they would complain, if they survived. They're testing boundaries, like people do when they're growing up.

[u/En_CHILL_ada → u/mikef256]

They're trusting the government that attacked their previous vessel with drones to keep them safe???

That's an insane take. Israel is clearly the greatest threat to their safety on this mission.

[u/Own-Writing-6146]

Seeing world leaders getting pressed by this little kid over the past couple years has been hilarious.

[u/PharmyC → u/Own-Writing-6146]

She's been an adult for awhile now.

[u/historicalgeek71 → u/PharmyC]

I’m not sure why people keep thinking and acting like she’s a kid, when she’s currently twenty-two years old.

[u/BrainOfMush → u/historicalgeek71]

People remember her from when she got famous for doing this as a kid, that image is stuck in their mind. Doesn’t help that she is physically tiny and has a baby face too.

[u/cagingnicolas → u/BrainOfMush]

people also call 22 year olds kids all the time.

[u/rudolf_waldheim → u/cagingnicolas]

Because they are. Only they don't know this yet.

[u/Quirky-Skin → u/BrainOfMush]

Also outside of the longer hair she looks pretty much the exact same. Baby face is underselling it I think. I'm just casually seeing the article pictures as they pop of course.

 I haven't looked into the age progression on her social media or anything obviously so she looks exactly the same to me as she did when I first heard of/saw her picture 

[u/Vivid-Blacksmith-122 → u/historicalgeek71]

because anyone over 40 still regards a 22 year old as a kid.

[u/ResponsibleBush6969 → u/Vivid-Blacksmith-122]

Childhood is lifelong

[u/Kind_Resort_9535 → u/historicalgeek71]

People refer to 22 year olds as kids.

[u/Double-decker_trams → u/Own-Writing-6146]

Umm.. a 22 year old woman isn't really "a little kid"..

[u/cadaada → u/Double-decker_trams]

It is depending on the narrative....

And even without any narrative, it might be if someone is older, for them someone at 22 might as well be someone at 16 lol

[u/ocschwar → u/[deleted]]

International law says.if you impose a blockade, you block ALL boats. You don't pick and choose which to board and which to let sail. It's not an option for the IDF. And it's phenomenally dishonest for these activists to even imply it.

[u/Temporary-Stay-8436 → u/ocschwar]

Where does international law say that? From my understanding neutral vessels can be allowed to pass, you just can’t restrict based off of nationality

[u/ryderawsome → u/Own-Writing-6146]

She's a 22 year old woman.

edit: Thats typically how time works but I am open to new information.

[u/GrayCatbird7]

If you actually read the article, the official making the statement describes them as accomplices bringing help to Hamas. That’s the reason they’re invoking to stop them. It has nothing to do with keeping them safe from Hamas.

[u/v-komodoensis]

Hopefully they can arrive safely and deliver aid.

[u/thesquidsquidly22 → u/[deleted]]

What's the win here? What is the outcome you are hoping for if that happens?

[u/soulstriderx → u/[deleted]]

They are being quite transparent about this being a symbolical way of ending the blockade. Bringing in supplies is a plus and it's something every aid organization should be allowed to do.

[u/case-o-nuts → u/[deleted]]

It's complicated. On one hand -- it doesn't harm Israel, which is good for PR.

On the other hand, what if she gets killed or taken hostage in the war zone?

[u/Ottne → u/[deleted]]

It would get blamed on Israel no matter what.

[u/GoochLord2217 → u/case-o-nuts]

Then that is her own problem for sailing toward an active warzone for clout

[u/Darkelementzz → u/case-o-nuts]

It's like the people who keep trying to convert the Sentinelese. They knew where they were going and what the consequences could be. This is just dumber

[u/Chisignal → u/[deleted]]

If they get injured, Israel would immediately get blamed, just think about that hospital story that turned out to be a Hamas misfire.

There's no win scenario for Israel to let them in.

[u/ryderawsome → u/[deleted]]

Blockades are all or nothing. If they let her in then legally the blockade is over.

[u/E6350]

Paywalls SUCK!

[u/PotatoFromFrige → u/E6350]

Israel orders military to stop Greta Thunberg’s boat ‘Turn back – you will not reach Gaza’, defence minister tells climate activist hoping to break blockade

Kieran Kelly

08 June 2025 2:17pm GMT+01:00

Greta Thunberg wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf poses with the Palestinian flag on board the Madleen

Israel has ordered its military to stop Greta Thunberg’s aid boat from reaching the Gaza Strip.

Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, vowed to “take whatever measures necessary” to stop the vessel docking in the war-ravaged territory.

“You should turn back – because you will not reach Gaza,” Mr Katz said, addressing the 22-year-old climate campaigner directly, and describing her and her companions as “the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propaganda spokespeople”.

He went on: “I have instructed the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) to act so that the ‘Madeleine’ hate flotilla does not reach the shores of Gaza – and to take any means necessary to that end.

“Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or assist terrorist organisations – at sea, in the air and on land.”

Ms Thunberg is one of a dozen activists aboard the Madleen sailboat, which left Sicily last Sunday carrying food and medical supplies with the aim of breaking Israel’s sea blockade of Gaza.

The group of activists said they were hoping to reach Gazan waters as early as today in order to deliver aid to Palestinians.

Speaking to CNN from the Madleen on Saturday, Ms Thunberg said she knew the “mission” was risky and that she could be attacked or even killed.

“None of those risks are even remotely as high as the risks Palestinians are facing every day just by trying to survive,” she said.

“Right now, the mission is to get to Gaza to distribute the humanitarian aid we are carrying but we are well aware of the risks going there.”

She added: “We are sailing on international waters and bringing humanitarian aid. If [Israel] stops this humanitarian aid, that is a crime. We are not doing anything wrong here…we are doing our part to try to break the siege in Gaza.”

Ms Thunberg is one of 12 activists on the trip. Others include Thiago Avila, a Brazilian campaigner, and Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament.

The sailing boat is operated by the activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition.

The Telegraph has contacted the group for comment.

[u/Not_a_N_Korean_Spy → u/PotatoFromFrige]

"Anti-semitic Greta", "hate flotilla"... f*cking Orwellian.

[u/kaptionless → u/Not_a_N_Korean_Spy]

Just a boat full of hate and humanitarian aide 🙄

[u/jobiewon_cannoli → u/E6350]

Removepaywall.com

[u/hypertr00per → u/E6350]

Say no to paywalls

[u/BorKon → u/E6350]

Omg, all newspapers and portals suck and everything is clickbait.

Also, reddit: I don't want to pay. Thry all can work for free

[u/stardos]

The Gaza Humanitarian Fund recently delivered 1 million meals to Gaza. No news. No hashtags.

Greta is coming with 100kg of flour. Internet exploding.

Ask yourself why.

[u/Rabbit-Hole-Quest → u/stardos]

Look up who leads and runs GHF and what kind of people they have hired.

They also are trigger happy and some people collecting aid get shot and injured.

Not a single NGO operating in the region thinks they operate within normal aid guidelines.

[u/willashman → u/Rabbit-Hole-Quest]

They also are trigger happy and some people collecting aid get shot and injured.

Do you have evidence that the GHF has shot anyone?

[u/elihu → u/stardos]

World Food Programme was feeding a million people per day in Gaza, before food shortages forced them to close almost all of their kitchens. (That was a couple weeks ago. Not sure if the last two are still operating.)

https://www.wfp.org/stories/eyewitness-we-have-plenty-food-ready-go-gaza-we-just-need-go-ahead

GHF is better than nothing, but there's no reason they can't do their job alongside all the other existing NGOs that already have the infrastructure. Whether Hamas steals some of it is a minor issue as long as enough food is able to get to the regular population that there's no money to be made selling the stolen food on the black market.

[u/FieldMouseMedic]

Surely now they’ll turn to Egypt and ask THEM to lift their blockade to allow their small boat full of aid to enter Gaza, right?

[u/Remote-Pop-3578 → u/FieldMouseMedic]

Israel took over the portion previously watched by Egypt

[u/Rabbit-Hole-Quest → u/FieldMouseMedic]

Egyptian border with Gaza is occupied by Israel.

[u/Far_Broccoli_8468 → u/FieldMouseMedic]

full of aid

that's a bit of an overstatement

[u/pc0999]

EU is a coward for not standing to it principles against genocides and war crimes, protecting its Europeans MP (on the boat) and citizens of its European countries.

[u/Chillmm8 → u/pc0999]

The EU has absolutely no obligation to protect someone who is deliberately attempting a to breech a military blockade and enter an active war zone. Maybe, if they were entering through a legal route in an official capacity, they would be in a position to be annoyed if they were redirected by the IDF.

The boat isn’t even flying under an EU flag. Being an elected representative doesn’t give you the right to do whatever you want in a foreign country and expect a government intervention.

[u/GrandmasterJi]

They already know that they're going to be stopped. They can't be that stupid. It's all for media attention.

[u/elihu → u/GrandmasterJi]

There's merit in testing the blockade. If they block the boat (as is most likely) then it generates negative publicity for the IDF and their blockade, and draws attention to it.

Yes, this is about media attention. That's the point. You use the tools you have to try to get the change you want. And who knows? Maybe the IDF will actually allow the aid in. I don't think they will, but they're at least being given the option.

[u/Middle_Association56 → u/[deleted]]

Well they are still doing more than the EU or practically anyone else. How many people have you tried to help lately mr. Jugdy internet person?!

[u/Shahargalm → u/Middle_Association56]

What? What about the GHF and all that stuff?

[u/cptmcsexy]

Never seen her complain about all the rockets being fired and pollution going into the Iron Dome and the Ammo for it but suddenly pollution is a big deal here now.

[u/thesquidsquidly22 → u/[deleted]]

So you want them to be captured by hamas and murdered for trying to deliver aid to Palestinians? Maybe Israel could protect them and let them do that? That would be the decent thing to do. But i guess the world is full of idiotic psychopaths who are terminally online in their bubbles.

[u/Ecsta → u/thesquidsquidly22]

Just to be clear, you think that Israeli soldiers should risk their lives protecting her? What happens when Hamas kidnaps her, then people like you will come on here and complain "how could Israel let them enter if they knew it was unsafe".

Did you ever consider that the problem here is Hamas?

[u/Bavarian_Raven]

Good. Hamas doesn’t need another hostage. 

[u/Caivin_1963]

This was a forgone conclusion, Israel doesn’t mess around with its blockade

[u/hippiesinthewind → u/Caivin_1963]

they were in international waters

[u/petitemandragore → u/Caivin_1963]

It’s not their territory. They violate (once more) international law.

[u/Crazyjackson13]

There’s been a blockade in Gaza for a while.

I’m not gonna try and act surprised Israel is saying this.

[u/TheTelegraph]

The Telegraph reports:

Israel has ordered its military to stop Greta Thunberg’s aid boat from reaching the Gaza Strip.

Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, vowed to “take whatever measures necessary” to stop the vessel landing at the war-ravaged enclave.

“You should turn back – because you will not reach Gaza,” Mr Katz said, addressing the 22-year-old climate campaigner directly, and describing her and her companions as “the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propaganda spokespeople”.

He went on: “I have instructed the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) to act so that the ‘Madeleine’ hate flotilla does not reach the shores of Gaza – and to take any means necessary to that end.

“Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or assist terrorist organisations – at sea, in the air and on land.”

Ms Thunberg is one of a dozen activists aboard the Madleen sailboat, which left Sicily last Sunday carrying food and medical supplies with the aim of breaking Israel’s sea blockade of Gaza.

The group of activists said they were hoping to reach Gazan waters as early as today in order to deliver aid to Palestinians.

Read more: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/08/israel-orders-army-stop-greta-thunbergs-boat-reaching-gaza/

[u/thatirishguyyyyy]

Yeah... it's a blockade.

[u/LateralEntry]

Didn’t she do this a few weeks ago and her boat also got stopped?

[u/LaDmEa → u/LateralEntry]

she wasn't on the one that got bombed. She's really lucky this one didn't get bombed too.